JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - The Lincoln softball team celebrated the opening of the newly-renovated LU Softball Field and its 2023 Senior Day in winning fashion, beating Nebraska Kearney, 5-3, in the first game of a double-header on Sunday (April 16). The Blue Tigers fell in the second game, 10-2.

Jordan Galliher picked up her fourth win of the season with a spectacular performance inside the circle, as she threw six shutout innings and struck out seven UNK batters while allowing only one run. Galliher was aided by some opportunistic hitting by the Blue Tigers, beginning in the second inning, when LU scored the first two runs on the new field on Leah Wagner's double down the right field line. Madison Garcia had the field's first hit, as she knocked the ball into left centerfield to end up on second before Maris Ollison got on board via a walk.

A sacrifice bunt laid down by Kennedy Schanuth moved both runners into scoring position, setting up Wagner's bases-clearing double. A wild pitch on a walk issued to Qwynn Marquez allowed Wagner to take third, and she later scored on a double steal attempt that the made the score 3-0 in favor of the Blue Tigers.

Lincoln stranded a pair of Nebraska Kearney runners in the top of the third, forced UNK to go down in order in the fourth inning and used a fly-out to strand a pair of UNK players in the fifth. The Lopers led the sixth frame off with a double, and went on to load the bases with a hit and a walk, but Leslie Callahan caught a pop fly to prevent all three runners from scoring. Lincoln capitalized in the bottom of the sixth, as Callahan and Williams took advantage of a Nebraska Kearney error to add a couple of insurance runs, increasing the LU lead to 5-0.

Nebraska Kearney scored its only three runs of the game in the top of the seventh, including a pair of unearned runs with two outs on the board, but Lincoln forced a ground out to end the game with the win. Garcia had two hits while Wagner, Ollison and Myah Dwyer each had one. Wagner led Lincoln with eight putouts and Emma Rakes finished with four. Dwyer added two assists. 

Prior to the start of the game, Dr. Douglas LaVergne, Dean of the College of Agriculture, Environmental and Human Sciences, threw a commemorative first pitch that was caught by freshman Imani Lambert-Butler, an agriculture major with an emphasis in plant science. Following the win, a special ceremony was held to recognize the six graduating players on the Lincoln softball team: Jordan Galliher, Qwynn Marquez, Ashton Stalling, Leah Wagner, Maddie Welker and Emily Williams.

Nebraska Kearney (15-25, 6-10 MIAA) scored twice in the opening frame of game two and four times in the second to build an early lead. Lincoln (6-32, 2-18 MIAA) tallied five hits, but scored only two runs, both in the bottom of the third. Dwyer doubled and took third on a sacrifice bunt by Rakes. Callahan then drove her in with a two-base hit into right center. After stealing third, Callahan would score herself on an infield single by Williams.

Callahan finished the night cap with two hits while Ollison and Dwyer each had one. Welker started the game inside the circle and struck out two UNK batters. Joss Marriott, meanwhile, closed the game and also rang up a strikeout.

Rakes led Lincoln defensively with five putouts while Dwyer, Stalling and Wagner each finished with three apiece. Ollison contributed a team-high three assists.

Lincoln will be back at LU Softball Field on Monday (April 17) to host Fort Hays State in a double-header beginning at 12:00 p.m. CDT.